Experience: Reality Television

Advantages for watching reality TV shows are that teenagers get god enjoyment out of it, disadvantages may be that they are a bad influence on the audience ANSWER
Advantages:-
1. Giving chance to everyone(public forum)
2. A major boost in self confidence
3. Something new,not same old prepared program(non-monotonous)

Disadvantages:-
1. Extreme profit motive
2. Emotional drawback
audience and participants tend to forget that it's a media show end of the day :)

Advantages:
1-Its brings in a lot of returns for the producers.

2-Common people get to know better about other common people from different walks of life.

Disadvantages.
1-It ruins privacy of the participants and also creates a bad image of even a good person,as the participants are kept separated from the rest of the world.

2-Often the viewers are fooled as its not 'reality' but rather is scripted show,just to get the TRP's

Reality TV Advantages & Disadvantages

Real or not, reality TV continues to intrigue millions of viewers. Whether it's people seeking love, living with strangers, trying to lose weight, find a job or win a talent competition, no premise appears off-limits for reality TV. As viewer appetite for reality TV thrives, the genre tries to balance advantages and disadvantages that arise for both participants and viewers.

1. Instant Fame

o Fame seekers may claim that reality TV's biggest advantage comes in its unrivaled ability to produce more "15 minutes of fame" stars than other TV genres. A reality show provides exposure that people could not get anywhere else, giving non-celebrities the potential to become household names and land opportunities that otherwise may evade them.

Achieving One's Dream

o Competitive reality programs offer another advantage to participants: the opportunity to follow dreams, land big breaks or win large amounts of cash. Viewers, in turn, may think they can accomplish the same and apply. Aside from the winner, numerous finalists on Fox's "American Idol" secure a record deal, while the triumphant contestant on CBS' "Survivor" wins $1 million.

Romantically challenged people could find love by appearing on reality dating shows such as ABC's "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." Couples from both series went on to enjoy lengthy post-show relationships, though like real life, Cupid's arrow sometimes shoots and misses the mark.

Lack of Privacy

o Participants (and in some instances viewers) also have to deal with reality TV disadvantages. Applicants need to read the fine print in every legal document they sign, as a personal release form gives TV producers the rights to film them during every aspect of the program.

If you apply to appear on a reality program, you have no grounds to complain about lack of privacy, or that you cannot control what ends up on TV. Every stipulation usually appears in personal and location release forms, as well as informed consent forms.

Harmful Effects to Reputation

o When participants surrender their rights to privacy, they may not consider reality TV's long-term effects, subjecting themselves to potentially humiliating events that harm their reputation. Some participants emerge unscathed and parlay "bad" reputations into other ventures, but others may experience less fortune.

If participants engage in questionable behavior and it appears on television, it could impact their relationships with family and friends, not to mention employers and the law. Established celebrities have no immunity to reality TV's consequences; any questionable behavior on a reality program may cause Hollywood to have little to no interest in working with celebrities on future projects.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

...Realitytelevision (also known as reality show) is a television programming genre that presents unscripted and humorous situations, documents actual events and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors. Much of realitytelevision programming falls into a subcategory as certain collections of shows within the genre use specific themes and focuses or incorporate elements from other genres, i.e., reality documentaries, reality game shows, reality legal programming. Realitytelevision began in 1938 with Alan Funt's TV series Candid Camera.The genre exploded as a phenomenon around 1999–2000 with the success of such television series as Big Brother and Survivor.Programs in the realitytelevision genre are often are produced in a television series. Documentaries, television news and sports television are usually not classified as reality shows. Realitytelevision offers viewers a glimpse into the lives of people that might otherwise not be seen. It can also be seen as a platform for the subjects of the programs, to clear up misconceptions, and show their story or struggle.
The genre covers a wide range of television programming formats, from game show or quiz shows...

...Persuasion Essay - The True Reality of RealityTelevision
The television was originally invented for communication purposes as well as education, so it is doubtful that Philo Farnsworth imagined his invention showing people eating bugs, finding husbands based on votes from viewers, or living on deserted islands. The newest fad in television programming is realitytelevision and is evidently dominating the airwaves, appearing on many channels, every night of the week. The ratings constantly increase as the popularity of realitytelevision continues to grow and consequently, producers become extremely wealthy by fueling the addiction. Realitytelevision is built upon the foundation of exposing human emotions, despite the social, psychological, and ethical issues involved which negatively impact the lives of its viewers. All television shows engage in ideological teaching and realitytelevision is no different. The first social consequence of realitytelevision is the misguided message placed upon the importance of competition. Shows such as Survivor or The Bachelor reinforce the idea that life is nothing but a constant competition where only one person is awarded materially, interpersonally, etc. The increased value placed on competition eventually...

...1
Values portrayed on RealityTelevision
April 25, 2011
VALUES 2
Values Portrayed on RealityTelevisionReality is a genre of television wherein the situations, dramatic, comedic or otherwise are non-scripted and the people involved are ordinary “real” people and not professional actors. Even though you may not be a fan of television, you cannot deny that reality TV is here to stay and yes, there are genres of Realitytelevision where positive values are portrayed.
In an article found on the Pro Quest database, television critic, Mary McNamara postulates, “… even if we were to mistakenly dismiss reality shows as having no intrinsic value, there is no denying their influence on television in general. And considering that television still remains the most ubiquitous, influential and powerful medium in the world… any shift in its structure or content is worth academic consideration.” (McNamara, M. 2011). The article goes on to explain that realitytelevision is extremely predominant in our society as exemplified by a recent SAT test that included questions about realitytelevision (Para 1).
Of course realitytelevision is not a new phenomenon, in fact, the 1948 TV series;...

...Television has become a significant part of our daily lives.Despite vast internet network developments, many people in the world still spend significant timewatching television. According to the article “Television viewing at all-time high” from the Los Angeles Times, “…the average American now watches more than 151 hours of TV a month. That is about five hours a day”. (www.latimes.com). People still get important information from their TVs and are also entertained from this same source. Televisionshowsnowadays have more ways to reach their audience through computer monitors and cell phone screens. It has also become very convenient forpeople to watch these TV shows at anytime and at any place.Because of this newly increased accessibility, the pressure to create fresh, attention-grabbing content by television show creators is ever so apparent. Reality shows in particular require creators to seriously weigh the consequences of viewing certain content due to the significant amounts of viewers. However, realitytelevision appears to be more of a bad influence than good on its audience.
Reality TV shows have a quite long history that goes back to1973.“An American Family”by PBS is considered to be one of the first reality TV shows in history, although it was categorized as a documentary. “An American Family”viewed the unscripted life of an ordinary...

...Sarah Johnson
T/R 11-12:15
Research Paper
7 Dec 2010
What Makes RealityTelevision Survive?
In the year 1992 a new idea was introduced to America and it was called realitytelevision. MTV produced a show called, The Real World that had seven strangers living in a house together and had everything they did filmed. After many failed attempts at trying to make this reality trend catch on, CBS launched Survivor, which pioneered the way for all reality shows to follow in the next decade. It was a show about people battling it out in two separate tribes to their wits end in the jungle and it spread like wildfire across America. Survivor premiere debuted to 28 million viewers and is still on today, a decade and 21 seasons later (McCraley). Realitytelevision did not have the power to tip and become an epidemic until producers began to use clever marketing strategies to bring Survivor to the mass of America.
It has been almost twenty years since MTV first attempted to air The Real World with hopes of creating a new type of television America would love. First broadcasted in 1992 it is now the longest running show in MTV’s history and is currently on its twenty-fifth season. It is credited with being the first realitytelevision show aired but it was not the first to grasp America and change the way we watch...

...Since the 1990’s, when realitytelevision first started becoming widely popular, we have been able to see into the lives of different kinds of people, often turning everyday people into celebrities. With some of the most popular realitytelevision shows, like Big Brother, True Life, American Idol, and most recently Jersey Shore, we are led on to believe that it is all real ("The Hunger Games Theme of Versions of Reality”). The reality of this television though is that most of it is either altered or manipulated just for our own entertainment. The directors of some of these shows often script, manipulate and plan situations to make the shows more appealing to their audiences ("How Much of the Reality”). Even in popular books like The Hunger Games where realitytelevision is a theme, it is shown that it is changed just for the entertainment of the viewers ("The Hunger Games Theme of Versions of Reality”). While it is perceived to be real, the title of “realitytelevision” is a misnomer because most showed turn out to be fake and scripted.
Realitytelevision directors push their participants into exploiting themselves for the entertainment of their viewers. There are hundreds of realitytelevision shows currently on, and they make up a...

...“The Rise of RealityTelevision”
Realitytelevision has touched the lives of millions worldwide, proving itself to be a global phenomenon among television series genres. As the future of the television consistently evolves, realitytelevision programming has claimed its spot among networks’ daytime and primetime lineups. This series genre that has proven successful with ratings in the past is constantly being upgraded and adapted into higher forms of entertainment. Realitytelevision allows individuals to explore the depths of human behavior, allowing viewers to choose from a variety of personalities to watch. Realitytelevision promotes viewer-program interaction and involvement, often resulting in the viewer being able to affect the outcome of a program. Realitytelevision also has the power to bestow fame, fortune, or love unto individuals chosen to participate in the program taping process.
The power that the television possesses is extremely influential among society. Television personalities, such as news anchors, the cast of series’ (scripted and unscripted), actors in commercials, to cartoon characters can impact an individual’s impression of the world. Broadcasting networks worldwide arrange contracts with such personalities, essentially...

...The concept of realitytelevision is defined as genre of programming in which the fortunes of everyday individuals, as opposed to actors, or fictional characters are followed (Soong, 2003). Although these programs have always been prevalent within society, it is only within these last two years that realitytelevision has achieved its greatest success with shows such as Survivor, Big Brother, Master Chef, and Fear Factor. Today, realitytelevision encompasses a variety of specialised formats or subgenres, including most prominently the gamedoc, the makeover program, and the dating program. Mass media, which incorporates realitytelevision, is classified into two different categories, passive or active. This notion is formed from a variety of sociological theories including that of Marx and the Frankfurt School along with other various researchers in the field of literary criticism (Matthewman. et al. 2007). In contemporary society, there are several reasons for the sudden increase in popularity of realitytelevision including money, instant fame and the guilty pleasure phenomenon. As individuals within society, we are inclined to precede reality TV stars and unknowingly make them our role models.
It is evident that reality shows are seen as significant cultural objects whose production and consumption...